SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 2, 2012
Colts 35, Lions 33: Rookie Andrew Luck recorded his fourth touchdown pass with a 14-yard dump-off to Donnie Avery as time expired to lift visiting Indianapolis to its sixth win in seven games.
After connecting with LaVon Brazill on a 42-yard scoring strike to bring the Colts (8-4) within five at 33-28, Luck engineered an 11-play, 75-yard drive in the final 1:07. On fourth down and with only four seconds on the clock, Luck stepped up in the pocket before flicking the ball to Avery, who scooted into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
Luck finished with 391 yards to stun the Lions (4-8), who suffered their fourth straight loss despite Calvin Johnson reeling in a career-best 13 receptions for 171 yards and a touchdown.
After rookie Vick Ballard's 11-yard scoring run trimmed Detroit's lead to 23-21, Stafford hooked up with his favorite target on a 46-yard score. Johnson dived for the ball and rolled into the end zone just seconds before the end of the third quarter.
Johnson joined Detroit's Pat Studstill (1966) as the lone NFL players to record 125-plus receiving yards in five consecutive games. Johnson, who has 1,428 yards receiving, is on target to break Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's single-season mark of 1,848 in 1995.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Johnson's 13 receptions were the most by a member of the Lions since Herman Moore had 14 in 1995... Ballard's first career touchdown came on his 127th carry of the season. He entered the game with the most rushes in the NFL without running for a score. ... The Colts recorded their first four-game winning streak versus the Lions since the 1958-59 season.